


Wired Differently

by AchillesMonkey



Series: Ace and Aro Fics [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Aromantic, Aromantic Bobbi Morse, Aromantic Jemma Simmons, Bisexual Bobbi Morse, F/F, Femslash February, LGBT+ Headcanon, Pansexual Jemma Simmons, Queerplatonic Relationships, Relationship Negotiation, discussion of sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-19
Updated: 2017-02-19
Packaged: 2018-09-25 14:24:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9824426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AchillesMonkey/pseuds/AchillesMonkey
Summary: "I’ve never been good at relationships. I just don’t think I’m wired that way.”"There’s a word for it, you know: aromanticism.”An aromantic Jemma helps Bobbi realize that she is aromantic too, which then leads to them getting closer.





	

**Author's Note:**

> The author is a grey-romantic asexual who's never been in a relationship, so apologies if this is awkward. 
> 
> I just wanted to try writing something for Femslash February, and since I headcanon Jemma as aro, and I also thought she and Bobbi would have been cute together, the idea formed that maybe Bobbi's aro too?

“You an’ me, we coulda really been somethin’, you know that, Bob?” Hunter slurred before taking a swig of his beer bottle. He brought it down from his mouth and glared at it. “Iss empty.”

He got up, presumably to make his way to the kitchen for another drink, but Mack got up as well and stopped him. “I think you’ve had enough, buddy,” Mack told him. “Let’s get you to bed. Night, Bobbi, Jemma.” Mack shepherded Hunter out of the common room leaving only the two women.

Jemma absently ran her thumb along the side of the beer bottle, and glanced at Bobbi. The woman was staring at the door Mack and Hunter had just gone through. “We really couldn’t have been,” Bobbi commented. “Something, that is. The sex was good, great even, but the relationship just wasn’t compatible. I’ve never been good at relationships. I just don’t think I’m wired that way.”

“I’m not wired that way either,” Jemma offered. “Not for romantic relationships, anyway. There’s a word for it, you know: aromanticism.” Bobbi didn’t respond, and Jemma worried that maybe she’d overstepped. “Of course, you’ll have to figure out what you feel for yourself. No one can decide that for you.”

“I think I’m headed to bed,” Bobbi told her. “Goodnight, Jemma.”

“Night.”

Jemma finished her beer and decided to head to bed herself. As she lay in bed, trying to sleep, she found her thoughts occupied by a beautiful, tall, blonde. Was Bobbi aro too? Jemma had never met another aromantic person in real life. It would be nice, not being the only one. She sighed and rolled over, closing her eyes as slumber came.

~*~*~*~

A few weeks later, Bobbi came to visit Jemma in the lab. “I’ve been doing some research,” she announced.

“Oh?” Jemma asked, turning to face her. “On what?”

“Aromanticism,” Bobbi said. “I think it fits me.”

Jemma beamed at her. “Congratulations!”

“Thanks! It’s nice, having a word for it.”

“Tell me about it,” Jemma said. “When I first discovered it, it was like everything suddenly made sense.”

“Would you, um,” Bobbi trailed off and Jemma noticed that she actually seemed nervous. “Would you maybe want to get dinner with me tonight? I’d like to talk about it more.”

“I’d love to!” Jemma said with a smile. “Seven o’clock?”

“Perfect,” Bobbi said, looking relieved. “I’ll see you at seven.”

~*~*~*~

They end up going to a diner in town. They were shown to a booth and made small talk about what to order. They compared their SHIELD service histories while they waited for their food, engaging in playful banter about the rivalry between SciTech and Operations. It was a rare moment of normalcy, and Jemma reveled in it.

“So,” Bobbi began as Jemma took a bite of her salad. “When did you first figure it out?”

“When Fitz and I were at SciOps,” Jemma answered. “Everyone thought Fitz and I were together, but our relationship has always been queerplatonic. The idea of Fitz and me being together romantically was repellent. I got curious as to why it was so repellent. I started thinking about my previous romantic relationships, and doing some research, and eventually I stumbled across that word: aromantic. That led me to other words, like asexual and queerplatonic. I’m not asexual, by the way. I rather like sex.”

“Me too,” Bobbi said. They grinned at each other. “Could a queerplatonic relationship be a sexual one?” she asked.

“Yes, I think so,” Jemma said. “Assuming both partners agree, of course.”

“Would you agree to it?”

“With the right person.”

Bobbi looked nervous again. “Do you think I could be the right person?”

Jemma froze, her fork halfway to her mouth. Had Bobbi really just said that she wanted a sexual, queerplatonic relationship with her? She liked Bobbi. She was definitely attracted to her. But she’d never thought that she’d get the chance to do anything about that.

“Never mind,” Bobbi said as Jemma failed to respond. “I don’t even know if you’re into women. Just forget I said anything.”

“No!” Jemma said, putting her fork down. “I’m sorry; I was just surprised. I’m definitely into women. Men too. Any gender, really. Sorry, now I’m babbling.”

Bobbi smiled. “You’re cute when you babble.”

Jemma felt a blush heating up her cheeks. “You’re cute too.”

They finished their meal and made their way back to the base. Jemma followed Bobbi back to her bedroom and they settled together on the bed. “I don’t really know how this is supposed to work,” Bobbi admitted.

“I don’t think there are any rules,” Jemma told her. “We just do what feels natural. We talk about what we want, what we don’t want. We respect each other’s boundaries. What would your ideal relationship look like?”

“A friend,” Bobbi said immediately. “A friend I could spend time with, have fun with, have sex with. A friend with benefits, I guess would be the term. What about you?”

“The same really,” Jemma said. “I want a friend I can have sex with without having to be in a relationship with them, outside of the friendship, of course. I want someone who respects my relationship with Fitz, because he is always going to be a big part of my life.”

“It sounds like we agree.”

“Yeah, I guess we do.”

“So, where do we go from here?” Bobbi asked.

Jemma smiled at her. “Would you like to have sex?”

Bobbi smiled back and kissed Jemma, a deep, electrifying kiss that left her wanting more. “Yes, yes I would.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, and thank you to everyone who leaves kudos/comments! I am unlessimwrongwhichyouknowimnot on Tumblr, feel free to check it out!


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